In present-day mechanized and automated agriculture, a need has been recognized for accurate record keeping of the output of a dairy herd and sensing of the milk flow. Sensing of the milk flow is important for the automatic termination of vacuum milking operations as well as timing of the automatic detachment of the milking apparatus from the cow. Milk flow sensors, which sense the drop off in milk flow, indicating a termination of milking, are known. One example is a milking controller manufactured by Alfa-Laval of Sweden. This device does not measure the total amount of milk flow.
One example of apparatus for milk flow measurement is described in Form No. 9P-304 (Catalog) of DEC Diary Equipment Co. of Madison Wisconsin, U.S.A. and is known as the Bou-matic System 2000. The metering system included therein is a complex one, incorporating rotating chambers whose passage is sensed by a photoelectric sensor.
Another example of apparatus for milk flow measurement is disclosed in a catalog of Afikim Agricultural Equipment of Kibutz Afikim, Israel. This apparatus also employs a mechanical metering chamber.
Both devices described above suffer from the disadvantage that they incorporate mechanically operative components which are liable to wear, breakdown and inaccuracy due to improper mechanical operation.